Heating apparatus



Dec. 18, 1928. f 1,696,031

M. N. FREEMAN HEAT I NG APPARATU S Filed Dec. 16, 1926 g/r/a fiv' M MFFEFZZEZZ 24 Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

MICHAEL .N.,F.REEMAN, or RAoINE \wIsCo isIN.

HEATING APPARATUS.

' A pplioationdiledilJeeemloer 16,1926L Serial' NoJLSSJBb.

This invention relates to heating apparatus.

In ordinaryffireplaces, such, for example,

' as 'thosebuil-t i'n' a chimney and provided with a-grate or with'andirons, most 'Ofth'eEheat passes up t'he chimney and is -wasted, .as it plays no part in heating the=room.

Objects of this invention are toiprovide a novel heating apparatus in i the nature of a fireplace which is-so constructed that; it heats the air by contact with' heatingsurfaces and passes the "heatedai'r' outinto the room.

Further objects are to provide a novel form offireplaee inwhi'ch-tlre 'air 'heatin-g means is hidden anddoes not detract i from the pleas ing appearance of an ordinary fireplace.

-An-einbodiment of-the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a chimney showing one form of the apparatus in place;

Figure 2is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; p v

Figure 3 is a sectional View on the line 3'3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that a chimney 1 has been illustrated as built out into the room. This chimney. is provided with an opening 2 adjacent its lower end which constitutes a fireplace. The andirons or grate havebeen omitted from the drawings for the sake of clearness. This fireplace does not open back to the back wall of the chimney, butis spaced outwardly therefrom by a metal back wall 3. This metal back wall has an upwardly and forwardly slanting portion and a real-wardly slanting portion 4.

- It is also provided with a removable plate 5 adjacent the part where the fire wouldjcontact, as this portion of the structure is subject to burning out and, consequently, is made removable so that it may be readily replaced. The removable portion 5, as shown in Figure 3, may be held in place by screws or pins 6.

The back plate 3 is provided throughout its extent with vertical ribs 7 on its rear face, and preferably with corrugated portions on 7 its front face to increase the heating surface.

Further, the sidewalls 8 are also spaced from the sides of the chimney, as shown most clearly in Figure 3. Obviously, therefore, when a fire is built in the fireplace, the back wall is highly heated and the air in the space behind such back wall and around the side walls is highly heated. I

iMeans-rare ,provided :for bringing the lair intorthefspaoe[referred to above,.and such means'consists of openings 91.011 opposite sides of the chimney, {preferablycovered by open works-gratings 10 as showniin Fig. 3. sItis also preferable, as shown: in Figures 1 andzB, to line i thechimney :at this iporti with -a metal plate 11. This metal plate continues upwardly and, as shown, in -Fi,gure 1,, is providedwith. a forwardly. slanting portion 12 :andz-with-a forwardly offset-upper portion 11.. .This offsetportion is providedwit-ha utopplateflg. :The upper portion ofthe; back 3, particularly at itswidened or rear-wardly flared part 4, joins a transverse bottom plate :14. Thezplates l8 and.14.-cooperate with a front metal pla'te15 to form heatingabox through which the air may be passed. The smoke and products of combustion of the fire are passed through pipes 16 which open through the plates 14 and13. Further, it is' to be'noted that baflles 17 are provided and carried by the'back wall. These baffles direct the air forwardly into contact both with the heating back plate of the fireplace and also with the heated tubes 16. Exits are provided for the air and preferably are arranged to that they open on opposite sides of the chimney adjacent the upper portion ofthe box-like air chamber. These exits are indicated in Figure 2 by the reference character 18. They are covered by gratings 19. When it is desired to use the device, a fire is built 1 in the usual manner and no further thought on the part of the operator is required, other than the adjustment of the usual damper 20, as shown in Figure 1. The products of combustion heat the tubes 16, and the back plate 3 is heated both from the products of combus tion and from the radiant heat from the fire. The air from'the bottom portion of the room enters through the apertures 9 and passes be{ hind the back plate where it becomes heated.

' This air passes upwardly and is thrown outwardly against the back plate by the lowest baffle 17. From thence, the air continues on its upward travel and is again thrown forwardly by the upper baffle plate 17, and consequently contacts with the highly heated tubes .16 and absorbs further heat. The heatred air rises and passes laterally outwardly through the apertures 18 and into the room.

It will be seen, therefore, that all of the benefits of an open fire are secured and, in addition to this, the efliciency' of a stove is also secured, as the air is heated by direct contact wlth heating surfaces formed in conyunction w1th the fireplace, although these surfaces, as stated, are not exposed to view and, consequently, do not detract from the pleasing appearance of an open fire.

It is to be noted further that a rapid circulation of air is secured by this construction and consequently, the roonrmay be quickly heated by this open fire.

It is to be noted that the device consists essentially of a unit which may be placed in an ordinary straight chin'iney with the utmost ease and. which adapts the Open fir place to the heating; by direct contact of large volumes of air without in any way detracting from the appearance of the open fireplace.

Although the iir'ention has been described in considerable detail, such. description is in tended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim: 7

In a heating apparatus, the combination of a chimney, a fireplace adjacent the lower end of the chimney, said fireplace being spaced iroin and surrounded on three sides transverse plate adjoining the upper end of the'iireplace with the front wall of the chimney, a, plurality oi tubes opening through said plate, an upper plate through which said tubes open, a casing joining said upper plate with said transverse plat-e andsurrounding said tubes, said casing being spaced from the chimney walls on three sides and joiningthe rear wall of the chimney to form anair heating chamber, openings in the sides of said casing adjacent its upperend through which heated air may pass, said chimney having openings in its side walls a-djacent'its lower end through which the coolair may pass behind the walls of said. fireplace, and a bafiie plate positioned within and secured to the rear wall of the chimney to direct. the cool air into contact with the casing of the lireplace. v y a 1 In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Racine, in the county oi Racine and State of Wisconsin.

MICHAEL N. FREEMAN. 

